PRODUCT DESIGNER
Reducing food waste by designing around real cooking habits at AI startup
Mealify is an AI-powered, pantry-aware meal planning app for real households. It adapts to what you have and what you like—helping you cook more, waste less, and think less about dinner.
PRODUCT DESIGNER
Reducing food waste by designing around real cooking habits at AI startup
Mealify is an AI-powered, pantry-aware meal planning app for real households. It adapts to what you have and what you like—helping you cook more, waste less, and think less about dinner.
PRODUCT DESIGNER
Reducing food waste by designing around real cooking habits at AI startup
Mealify is an AI-powered, pantry-aware meal planning app for real households. It adapts to what you have and what you like—helping you cook more, waste less, and think less about dinner.
THE PROBLEM
Context
Food waste is a major issue in the U.S., with 30–40% of food going uneaten each year. Much of it happens at home, where ingredients are bought with good intentions but go unused.
I joined the Mealify team to understand user pain points around meal planning—particularly decision fatigue, lack of inspiration, and difficulty using existing ingredients—factors that contribute to wasted food, time, and money.
“I want to feed my kids well, but meal planning is exhausting—and food ends up going to waste.”
SINGLE DAD
James, 35
THE PROBLEM
Context
Food waste is a major issue in the U.S., with 30–40% of food going uneaten each year. Much of it happens at home, where ingredients are bought with good intentions but go unused.
I joined the Mealify team to understand user pain points around meal planning—particularly decision fatigue, lack of inspiration, and difficulty using existing ingredients—factors that contribute to wasted food, time, and money.
“I want to feed my kids well, but meal planning is exhausting—and food ends up going to waste.”
SINGLE DAD
James, 35
THE PROBLEM
Context
Food waste is a major issue in the U.S., with 30–40% of food going uneaten each year. Much of it happens at home, where ingredients are bought with good intentions but go unused.
I joined the Mealify team to understand user pain points around meal planning—particularly decision fatigue, lack of inspiration, and difficulty using existing ingredients—factors that contribute to wasted food, time, and money.
“I want to feed my kids well, but meal planning is exhausting—and food ends up going to waste.”
James, 35
THE RESEARCH
Methods
I conducted a survey with 20+ participants to understand real-world meal planning behaviors, constraints, and motivations. Questions focused on cooking frequency, planning styles, device usage, grocery budgets, and desired features—capturing patterns across both structured planners and spontaneous cooks.
Insights
I discovered that meal planning challenges are driven less by lack of interest in cooking and more by time constraints, rigid tools, and cognitive overload. Users wanted support that adapts to how they plan.
Evidence
A. Time Is the Primary Constraint
84% cited lack of time as their biggest barrier to cooking consistently. Users favored experiences that felt immediately useful with minimal setup. Design implication: Prioritize quick-start entry points, low-effort input, and auto-generated plans that deliver value within seconds.
Finding 1 of 4
THE RESEARCH
Methods
I conducted a survey with 20+ participants to understand real-world meal planning behaviors, constraints, and motivations. Questions focused on cooking frequency, planning styles, device usage, grocery budgets, and desired features—capturing patterns across both structured planners and spontaneous cooks.
Insights
I discovered that meal planning challenges are driven less by lack of interest in cooking and more by time constraints, rigid tools, and cognitive overload. Users wanted support that adapts to how they plan.
Evidence
A. Time Is the Primary Constraint
84% cited lack of time as their biggest barrier to cooking consistently. Users favored experiences that felt immediately useful with minimal setup. Design implication: Prioritize quick-start entry points, low-effort input, and auto-generated plans that deliver value within seconds.
Finding 1 of 4
THE RESEARCH
Methods
I conducted a survey with 20+ participants to understand real-world meal planning behaviors, constraints, and motivations. Questions focused on cooking frequency, planning styles, device usage, grocery budgets, and desired features—capturing patterns across both structured planners and spontaneous cooks.
Insights
I discovered that meal planning challenges are driven less by lack of interest in cooking and more by time constraints, rigid tools, and cognitive overload. Users wanted support that adapts to how they plan.
A. Time Is the Primary Constraint
84% cited lack of time as their biggest barrier to cooking consistently. Users favored experiences that felt immediately useful with minimal setup. Design implication: Prioritize quick-start entry points, low-effort input, and auto-generated plans that deliver value within seconds.
Finding 1 of 4
Evidence
B. Loss of context while documenting
Clinicians can’t reference the care plan or member information while entering notes, disrupting workflow and increasing the risk of errors.
Finding 2 of 4
C. Obstructive UI elements
The call modal and side sheets block critical information needed to complete tasks, forcing users to work around the interface.
Finding 3 of 4
D. Inconsistent design patterns
Some products are outdated and no longer align with the design system (Netra Design System), leading to inconsistencies across the experience.
Finding 4 of 4
THE APPROACH
Flow-First Experience & Edge-Case Design
I mapped core user flows and edge cases to ensure users could perform the right action at the right time. This included designing empty states, error handling, and transitions across planning, cooking, and shopping—reducing friction and supporting a seamless, intuitive experience.I syn
Finding 1 of 3
THE APPROACH
Flow-First Experience & Edge-Case Design
I mapped core user flows and edge cases to ensure users could perform the right action at the right time. This included designing empty states, error handling, and transitions across planning, cooking, and shopping—reducing friction and supporting a seamless, intuitive experience.
Finding 1 of 3
THE APPROACH
Flow-First Experience & Edge-Case Design
I mapped core user flows and edge cases to ensure users could perform the right action at the right time. This included designing empty states, error handling, and transitions across planning, cooking, and shopping—reducing friction and supporting a seamless, intuitive experience.
Finding 1 of 3
Research-Informed Personas & Validation
I synthesized survey insights into personas representing real meal-planning behaviors and constraints. Using these personas, I created low-fidelity flows and concepts to test with users—validating assumptions, refining entry points, and ensuring design decisions aligned with real mental models before moving into high-fidelity design.I
Finding 2 of 3
Visual Identity & System-Based UI
created a cohesive visual identity and design system centered on low-stimulation colors and gradients, inviting curves, and rounded, friendly typography. The logo was designed to be recognizable and approachable, reinforcing ease and warmth around meal planning. In parallel, I built reusable UI components in Figma aligned with React component patterns to support consistency, scalability, and fast MVP delivery.
Finding 3 of 3
THE SOLUTION
THE SOLUTION
FEATURE
1.
Onboarding
In under two minutes, James answers ten questions that tailor simple, low-prep recipes and pantry guidance to his life as a busy single dad.
STREAMLINING ONBOARDING
Testing showed users felt a 15-question onboarding was too heavy upfront. The flow was reduced to 10 essentials, with remaining preferences collected gradually and editable anytime in Settings > Preferences.
Feature 1 of 6
FEATURE
1.
Onboarding
In under two minutes, James answers ten questions that tailor simple, low-prep recipes and pantry guidance to his life as a busy single dad.
STREAMLINING ONBOARDING
Testing showed users felt a 15-question onboarding was too heavy upfront. The flow was reduced to 10 essentials, with remaining preferences collected gradually and editable anytime in Settings > Preferences.
Feature 1 of 6
FEATURE
1.
Onboarding
In under two minutes, James answers ten questions that tailor simple, low-prep recipes and pantry guidance to his life as a busy single dad.
STREAMLINING ONBOARDING
Testing showed users felt a 15-question onboarding was too heavy upfront. The flow was reduced to 10 essentials, with remaining preferences collected gradually and editable anytime in Settings > Preferences.
Feature 1 of 6
FEATURE
2.
Pantry setup
James selects the ingredient categories he has on hand and moves through each at his own pace. Smart follow-ups catch common omissions, making setup faster and more accurate.
CLARITY BEFORE ACTION
Testing showed users felt unsure where to start when many items appeared. A time estimate was added upfront to set expectations and make it easier to commit.
Feature 2 of 6
FEATURE
2.
Pantry setup
James selects the ingredient categories he has on hand and moves through each at his own pace. Smart follow-ups catch common omissions, making setup faster and more accurate.
CLARITY BEFORE ACTION
Testing showed users felt unsure where to start when many items appeared. A time estimate was added upfront to set expectations and make it easier to commit.
Feature 2 of 6
FEATURE
2.
Pantry setup
James selects the ingredient categories he has on hand and moves through each at his own pace. Smart follow-ups catch common omissions, making setup faster and more accurate.
CLARITY BEFORE ACTION
Testing showed users felt unsure where to start when many items appeared. A time estimate was added upfront to set expectations and make it easier to commit.
Feature 2 of 6
FEATURE
3.
Pantry check
When James returns, a quick Pantry Check highlights items nearing expiration and suggests simple recipes to use them—reducing food waste without adding notifications or upkeep.
Feature 3 of 6
FEATURE
3.
Pantry check
When James returns, a quick Pantry Check highlights items nearing expiration and suggests simple recipes to use them—reducing food waste without adding notifications or upkeep.
Feature 3 of 6
FEATURE
3.
Pantry check
When James returns, a quick Pantry Check highlights items nearing expiration and suggests simple recipes to use them—reducing food waste without adding notifications or upkeep.
Feature 3 of 6
FEATURE
4.
Recipes and cooking mode
James’ recipe experience adapts to his preferences, time, and pantry, with filters for cuisine and ingredient availability. When cooking, steps are presented one at a time with large text and voice support—making it easy to follow hands-free.
HANDS-FREE DESIGN
Testing showed messy hands made mid-recipe interaction difficult. Voice support was added to keep the experience accessible during high-focus moments.
Feature 4 of 6
FEATURE
4.
Recipes and cooking mode
James’ recipe experience adapts to his preferences, time, and pantry, with filters for cuisine and ingredient availability. When cooking, steps are presented one at a time with large text and voice support—making it easy to follow hands-free.
HANDS-FREE DESIGN
Testing showed messy hands made mid-recipe interaction difficult. Voice support was added to keep the experience accessible during high-focus moments.
Feature 4 of 6
FEATURE
4.
Recipes and cooking mode
James’ recipe experience adapts to his preferences, time, and pantry, with filters for cuisine and ingredient availability. When cooking, steps are presented one at a time with large text and voice support—making it easy to follow hands-free.
HANDS-FREE DESIGN
Testing showed messy hands made mid-recipe interaction difficult. Voice support was added to keep the experience accessible during high-focus moments.
Feature 4 of 6
FEATURE
5.
Planner
James can plan meals manually or use Auto-Generate to build a week based on his pantry and preferences. Plans stay flexible—meals can be moved anytime, and the Planner stays in sync with the Shopping List and Pantry.
LOW BARRIER PLANNING
Testing showed users often skipped planning when starting felt too heavy or plans felt too rigid. Auto-Generate creates a starting point, while drag-and-drop keeps plans easy to adjust as schedules change.
Feature 5 of 6
FEATURE
5.
Planner
James can plan meals manually or use Auto-Generate to build a week based on his pantry and preferences. Plans stay flexible—meals can be moved anytime, and the Planner stays in sync with the Shopping List and Pantry.
LOW BARRIER PLANNING
Testing showed users often skipped planning when starting felt too heavy or plans felt too rigid. Auto-Generate creates a starting point, while drag-and-drop keeps plans easy to adjust as schedules change.
Feature 5 of 6
FEATURE
5.
Planner
James can plan meals manually or use Auto-Generate to build a week based on his pantry and preferences. Plans stay flexible—meals can be moved anytime, and the Planner stays in sync with the Shopping List and Pantry.
LOW BARRIER PLANNING
Testing showed users often skipped planning when starting felt too heavy or plans felt too rigid. Auto-Generate creates a starting point, while drag-and-drop keeps plans easy to adjust as schedules change.
Feature 5 of 6
FEATURE
6.
Shopping list
James’ Shopping List auto-builds from his weekly plan, with options to search, filter, and add items manually. Items are grouped for faster shopping, and checked-off items sync back to the Pantry automatically.
CLARITY BEFORE ACTION
Testing showed users struggled to stay focused while shopping in-store. An optional Shopping Mode was added with larger text, section-by-section flow, and a final checklist to prevent missed items.
Feature 6 of 6
FEATURE
6.
Shopping list
James’ Shopping List auto-builds from his weekly plan, with options to search, filter, and add items manually. Items are grouped for faster shopping, and checked-off items sync back to the Pantry automatically.
CLARITY BEFORE ACTION
Testing showed users struggled to stay focused while shopping in-store. An optional Shopping Mode was added with larger text, section-by-section flow, and a final checklist to prevent missed items.
Feature 6 of 6
FEATURE
6.
Shopping list
James’ Shopping List auto-builds from his weekly plan, with options to search, filter, and add items manually. Items are grouped for faster shopping, and checked-off items sync back to the Pantry automatically.
CLARITY BEFORE ACTION
Testing showed users struggled to stay focused while shopping in-store. An optional Shopping Mode was added with larger text, section-by-section flow, and a final checklist to prevent missed items.
Feature 6 of 6
THE FINAL REFLECTIONS
Takeaways
Lowering activation energy matters. Reducing blank states, upfront effort, and cognitive load helped users start and stick with meal planning.
Flexibility beats perfection. Auto-generated plans paired with easy overrides better reflected real-life schedules.
Context-aware design improves usability. Hands-free cooking and focused shopping modes supported users in high-mess, high-distraction moments.
Next Steps
Deepen qualitative validation. Conduct follow-up interviews to test how well smart planning features align with users’ mental models over time.
Expand pantry intelligence. Explore tighter pantry tracking and budgeting integrations to help users reduce waste more intuitively.
Support long-term habits. Test lightweight nudges and summaries that reinforce planning without adding maintenance burden.
“Meal planning feels easy—and even enjoyable now. We’re using what we have, saving money, and wasting less food.”
SINGLE DAD
James, 35
THE FINAL REFLECTIONS
Takeaways
Lowering activation energy matters. Reducing blank states, upfront effort, and cognitive load helped users start and stick with meal planning.
Flexibility beats perfection. Auto-generated plans paired with easy overrides better reflected real-life schedules.
Context-aware design improves usability. Hands-free cooking and focused shopping modes supported users in high-mess, high-distraction moments.
“See, this is what we've been looking for— it just does what it needs to do. I can focus on my task without ever thinking about the tech.”
CARE MANAGER
Mary Harper
Next Steps
Deepen qualitative validation. Conduct follow-up interviews to test how well smart planning features align with users’ mental models over time.
Expand pantry intelligence. Explore tighter pantry tracking and budgeting integrations to help users reduce waste more intuitively.
Support long-term habits. Test lightweight nudges and summaries that reinforce planning without adding maintenance burden.